The InterNICHE Studies Database, available on the new InterNICHE website
at http://www.interniche.org , provides references, abstracts and other
details for over 750 published studies, searchable by discipline, author
and keyword. Each study has been researched and included for its relevance
to the pedagogical, ethical and economic issues presented by the use of
animals, alternatives and technology in education and training (2).

The Studies Database has been published to facilitate free access to
information that can support curricular transformation and replacement of
animal experiments (3, 4). Functionality that allows comments on each
study has been integrated into the resource to encourage critique and
debate.

The database can help identify specific alternative tools and approaches
to enhance practical classes, and in parallel with the InterNICHE
Alternatives Database can be linked into alternative search strategies for
universities and training centres (5). Links from individual studies to
the PubMed database allow users to identify related citations.

The contents of the Studies Database reflect major themes such as
technological innovation, experience of implementation, assessment and
comparative studies. The studies can provide valuable information on
topics ranging from teaching objectives, the hidden curriculum and
conscientious objection to alternative physiology classes, microsurgical
training and haptic technology.

Studies about cutting edge technology and techniques in medical training,
often developed to ensure effective training and to help guarantee patient
safety, are included for the latter's impact in replacing animal
experiments and consolidating the implementation of non-animal training
techniques. As an example of its potential, the Studies Database provides
an opportunity to research the evolution and assessment of virtual and
augmented reality for laparoscopic surgical skills training.

Access to the studies can help lift the level of the debate concerning
curricular transformation. By including some studies in favour of harmful
animal use, the database allows for dissection of their claims, and
encourages further refinement of the arguments for full replacement.
Studies with valid arguments in support of the use of animal cadavers,
organs and tissue - but which do not question the killing of animals - are
joined by those that explore ethical sourcing (6), thereby encouraging
critical engagement. And discussions about the inclusion or exclusion of
cadaver dissection in human medicine curricula can offer lessons in the
potential relevance of dissection within veterinary medicine and zoology
studies.

The database is scheduled to double in size to over 1500 studies during
2012. New functionality, including linking studies to relevant products
listed in the Alternatives Database, the availability of full versions of
selected papers, and inclusion of more non-English studies, will also be
introduced.

(2) Research by Nick Jukes. InterNICHE credits the British Library and
the PubMed database at the US National Library of Medicine, and shares
the latter's commitment to fair use.

(3) Website and database development by Vadim Danko, InterNICHE Partner.
Administrative support from volunteer Sumayyah Gangat, with further input
from InterNICHE National Contacts and other volunteers.

(4) InterNICHE gratefully acknowledges support from sponsors the
Anti-Vivisection Union (AVU) (South Australia) and the Royal Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA).

(5) The InterNICHE Alternatives Database is available at
http://www.interniche.org/alternatives . Neither database focuses on
alternatives in research and testing, but the Studies Database includes
some papers on alternatives in general if the content is also relevant to
education and training.

(7) This news release now also available in Burmese, Hindi,
Japanese, Russian, Spanish and Ukrainian. Please select language
from the site menu.

New InterNICHE website for humane education and alternatives

InterNICHE launches today its new website on alternatives to
animal experiments in medical, veterinary medical and biological
science education and training (1, 2).

Available at
http://www.interniche.org , the new site is a collaborative,
content-rich and multi-language resource. It has been developed to
meet the needs of teachers and trainers, students, ethics
committees, alternatives producers and campaigners internationally.

The site comprises an evolving range of news, information,
database access and downloads provided by InterNICHE. Functionality
has been introduced that enables user-friendly upload of
multi-language content from all parties, and which facilitates the
process of translation.

This commitment to inclusivity will encourage participation from
the diverse international community that is involved in curricular
transformation. And with all content also requiring a summary in
English, the twin processes of localisation and internationalisation
will optimise the site's impact.

Users are invited to share news and information, and to
contribute their skills, in order to build a powerful repository of
resources and experience. A role-based access facility defines each
user's rights to view and publish data, reflecting their chosen
degree of participation.

The website's database resources include the InterNICHE
Alternatives Database, which provides descriptions, specifications,
and links to producers for over 1000 alternatives, arranged by
discipline and medium (3). This valuable resource, available in
several languages, comprises alternatives first collated and
detailed in the InterNICHE book from Guinea Pig to Computer Mouse
(2nd ed.) (4). With further original research it has now doubled in
size, with entries updated and illustrated with photographs.

The InterNICHE Studies Database is a newly developed resource,
providing references, abstracts and other details for over 750
published studies and books on humane education, alternatives and
related themes (5). A comments facility has been established to
encourage critique and debate. Both databases can be linked into
alternative search strategies for universities and training centres.

Nick Jukes, InterNICHE Co-ordinator, said today, "We are excited
about the launch of the new InterNICHE website and our plans for
further extending its content and functionality. A dynamic, sharing
site and the decentralisation of resources and responsibilities will
enhance the effectiveness and resilience of the movement for change.
We are confident that the site demonstrates the viability of full
replacement, and that its use will quicken the transformation of
life science education and training to being fully humane and based
on best practice."

Forthcoming content and functionality to be added to the site
include new translations into Spanish, Arabic, Hindi and Chinese;
new opportunities for users to upload content and to volunteer on
site development; reviews, assessment and on-line access to
alternatives; and facilities to support the global network of
InterNICHE Alternative Loan Systems (libraries of humane learning
tools). New content and functionality will be announced on the news
page (6).

(2) Website content by Nick Jukes and contributors. Website
development by Vadim Danko, InterNICHE Partner. InterNICHE
acknowledges the important contribution from volunteers, including
InterNICHE National Contacts. Credit is given to all InterNICHE
sponsors, in particular the Swiss League Against Vivisection (LSCV),
Proefdiervrij, the Anti-Vivisection Union (AVU) (South Australia)
and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
(RSPCA).